SOUTH BEND, Ind. — There's been a strange twist in the dynamic between the UConn and Notre Dame women's basketball programs, and the choreographer appears to be Irish All-America point guard Skylar Diggins.

Two years ago, the Huskies ran their winning streak over the Irish to 12 consecutive games including a 2010-11 three-game sweep of the two regular-season games and yet another Big East Tournament title game.

Led by Maya Moore, UConn was the favorite to win a third straight national championship. But when the Huskies and Irish met for a fourth time that season in the national semifinals, Diggins wouldn't concede anything.

Only a sophomore at the time, she scored 28 points with six assists to send UConn home early from the Final Four. That game seemingly caused a dramatic shift in what has become the best rivalry in women's basketball.

"I think a big part of it is Skylar, but I also think confidence comes from having done it," Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said. "We look at games and know we can win, because we've done it before now. In the past, we could believe we could win, but until you have actually won it's hard. Skylar brought the confidence, and in turn the success fed on itself."

As the rivalry is renewed tonight at Purcell Arena, ironically it is now the No. 3-ranked Huskies (27-2) who are chasing their confidence, trying to convince themselves they are ready to succeed in a big moment against the No. 2 Irish (27-1).

The Irish have won five of the last six games between the two teams, sending the Huskies home from yet another Final Four last season after winning the Big East regular season title outright by embarrassing UConn on its home court, as Auriemma pulled all his starters with 3:11 left.

"It absolutely motivated us," Stefanie Dolson said. "It is just kind of fuel to our fire to get our butts moving and practicing harder, working on things extra, and just making sure that we're ready for these big games when we have a chance to redeem (ourselves). To know that we gave up last year's championship to Notre Dame and to have an opportunity to kind of redeem ourselves, even from the game earlier this year, it's going to be a fun night. I think we're all ready for it."

Notre Dame won at Gampel Pavilion this season, 73-72, as part of an undefeated conference season that has earned them at least a share of the Big East title. The Huskies can claim a share of their 20th regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with a win tonight.

"I think going into our games, generally they have been the favorite most of the time," McGraw said. "They have been the best team in the Big East since we have been in the Big East. Connecticut has always been the team that we have looked at as the measuring stick, and everyone in the country I think looks at Connecticut that way. I think it is a challenge that we have embraced, and I think because of that, it has become the best rivalry in women's basketball."

The last team to beat UConn five of six games was Miami in 1992-93. The best anyone had done since the Huskies' first national championship in 1995 was four out of five by Tennessee (1997-2000).

The Huskies recovered from that and believe they will from the current struggles against Notre Dame.

"I think that because of the experience that we have," Dolson said. "Going into this game, we're just going to be a lot more mature, and I think definitely compete harder than we did last year, come out ready to play, ready to fight. It's two great programs just battling it out, and last year didn't go our away. But I think this year we're ready and better prepared than we were to win."

Some games unnecessarily get a lot of hype, but Auriemma said this isn't one of them.

"Any time there's a championship at stake it's a big game," Auriemma said. "There's life after the game, but that doesn't diminish the fact that it's a big game. Every game from here on in has huge significance. And there's two ways that kids react to that. One, they shut down completely. And, two … there's like this glow that comes over them and they go, `Man, I've been waiting since October for this and it's finally here.' You've got hope that you've got more of those guys than you do of the other guys."

To those who suggest that McGraw now has Auriemma's number, he says that's hogwash, because it would mean she wasn't very smart when the Irish lost 28 of the series' first 31 games. He knows she's smarter than that. He also knows it comes down to the players believing and then executing.

"When we had Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Rita Williams and Renee Montgomery I had everybody's number," Auriemma said. "And now that Notre Dame has Skylar Diggins, who might be the best point guard in the country, they have everybody's number. It's funny how the numbers are attached to really good point guards."

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